Apparatus for separating impurities from gas



Dem 14 i926 J. F?. FREEMAN APPARATUS 'FOR SEPARATING IMPURITIES FROM GAS Flled March 18, 1921 flttozmg* Nam( PATENT oFFIcE.

JHN 1R.l FREEMAN, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.y

APPARATUS FOR. SEPARATING IMPURITIES FROM GAS.

Application led March 18, 1921. `Serial No. 453,336.

` oily vapor. These particles are son'iinute,

and so completely permeate the gas that it.

has heretofore been difficult to separate them, and thereby obtain a gas Sufliciently clean and free from particles of tar, ashes, coke, etc., to be used in gas engines, or for `fuel in the modern elaborate bi-product coke and gas ovens, Without clogging their passages.

One of the objects of the invention is'to provide an apparatus of the'character inentioned, by means of which the suspended impurities may be eliminated from the gas, by

the aid of centrifugal action. A further object is to provide means for conveniently collecting the separated impurities, and conducting them to places where they may be stored, or suitably disposed of. A further object is to provide a centrifugal device, having means whereby an electrical discharge may be utilized to aid it in the process of separation.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims. l

In the accompanying drawings z- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a gas conduit with the invention applied thereto. Figure 2 is a detail' side elevation illustrating the `rotary member of 'the centrifugal device. Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a gas conduit with a modification of the invention applied thereto. Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view thereof.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, 10 designates a casing provided with an inlet opening 11, and an outlet opening 12 surrounded by ianges 13. Said flanges are shaped to co-operate with the corresponding flanges on ipes 14 and 14, of a' gas conduit to provi e anti-friction bearingsl for said casing, and with anyconvenient form of packing for preventing leakage ofgas at the joint. Extending longitudinally through tllie pipesl 14 and 14, and supported by suita e vice 16, located within the casing .10` and atearings, not shown, 1s a rotatable" shaft 15, to which is keyed an impelling de,-

tached thereto so that casing and impelling tition 17, having laterally extended vanes 18,

on both sides thereof, eatending to the contiguous Walls of the casing. It will be noted that the periphery of the impelling device reaches nearly to the periphery of the casing 10, and that the latter is rovided with outer openings 19. A device is posiioned to spray-Water into the inflowing gas.

In practice, the gas enters from pipe 14 and is discharged into pipe 14a. In its course through thecasing 10, it passes outwardly between the vanes 18, on the inlet side and inwardly between the vanes on the egress side. Saidvanes may be either straight or curved, the edges of the vanes engaging the sides of the casing. After the vgas enters the casing and While passing-outwardly between the vanes 18, it is subjected to increasinglyistrong centrifugal pressure as it approaches the periphery of the casing, and, if the speed is suflicientlyvhigh, an extremely powerful force, much stronger than the force et' gravity is exerted upon the particles of foreign matter contained Within the gas, such as tar, watery vapor, fine particles of coke, cinder or ash. This force causes the said impurities to travel outwardly against the outer part of the casing 10, Where they will form a film which, flowing in the direction of the gas, will be discharged through the orifices 19, while the .gas itself passes onward around the central disk 17 and inwardly to the pipe 14". As

the gas moves toward the center of the discharge side of the casing 10, the centrifugal pressure gradually becomes lower, until the gas finally escapes into the pipe 14a, at a pressure and velocity but little less' than those from which it entered from pipe 14.

The increase of pressure caused near the periphery of the revolving member will condense the gas, which will subsequently expand as it againapproaches the center of revolution, so that this condensation andexpension will aid in the agglomerati'on and.

separation of the particles of foreign inatter. i .y

rIn the form of the invention illustrated inFigures 3 and 4, an impelling device of somewhat different form is employed. thev revolving casing of Figure 1 being dispensed with. Referring to said figures, 25 designates a casing provided with an mls branch be secured to the pipes 27 of a gas main. In the chamber-like middle portion of the casing 25 is located a rotor 28, rigidly mounted upon a shaft 29, which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings, and is driven in a manner not shown. Said impelling device is constructed with a middle web or partition 30, interposed between two sets of vanes 31. Surrounding the impelling device, are a plurality of disks 32, having erforations therein. The disks 32 are rigid y supported within the casing in suitable manner and are so disposed with respect to the impelling device that little gas can escape around the periphery of the impelling device but must mostly pass from the inlet branch 26 to the outlet branch 27 through the perforations of the plates.

It is a fact well-known to those experienced in the manufacture and purification of coal gas, that'when as containing tarry vapors and entrained figue particles of forei substance, passes through an aperture with high velocity, and impinges against a plate, the articles of vapor and foreign substance wi condense, forming a film, and are collected upon the surface of the plate. In this case three plates are shown, but obviously a greater or less number might be used. TheA numerous apertures in these plates, through which the gas passes, are so dis osed that the jets of as impinge against solid portions of the p ate. The films of tarry and other material thus collected, will drip by force of gravit downwardly, and wil be collected in the chambers formed between the several perforated plates, from which chambers they may be drawn ofi' through the pipes 33 into appropriate reservoirs. In its simple and ordinary form, the apparatus as `-described above will nected within the circuit of the gas main leading from the retorts to thejgas engine or bi-product oven, or other ap "ratus within which the gas is tog; utilized.

The rinciples of this invention, while particu rlyjset forth herein 'with respect to gases, are applicable' to tlie purification of other fluids than 'gases. Any suspended 'particles occurring in fluids, whether the fiuid be of the gaseous type or' not may be separated out use of this invention.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using' the same, altliouoh without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it it may be made, or all of the formsiof its use, what is claimed'isz- 1. An apparatus for purifying gas comprising-ai casing with side and peripheral walls, a rotary shaft extending axially of the casing, a gas un device mounted to rotate with the ft comprising a ypartition 'fied and perpendicular to the shaft and joining the shaft at each side in a smooth, tangential curve and lateral vanes extending from the partition and forming therewith vcompartments, an axial inlet opening through one side wall and an axial outlet opening through the other side wall, a continuously open discharge opening through the peripheral wall to permit the discharge of the heavy constituentsof the gas separated therefrom by centrifugal action, inlet and outlet gas conduits surrounding the shaft and communicating with the casing at said axial openings, the curvature of the partition and the areas of the inlet and outlet conduits and openings being such as not materially to impede the constant flow of the gas through the casingdetermined by the area of the passageway therethrough` 2. An apparatus for purifying gas coinprising a rotary casing with side and peripheral walls, a rotary shaft extending axially of the casing, a gas impelling device mounted to rotate with the shaft and casing comprising a partition perpendicular to the shaft and joining the shaft at each side in a.

smooth, tangential curve and lateral vanes extending from the. partition to the side walls of the casing and forming therewith compartments, an axial inletopening through one side wall and an axial outlet opening throughA the other side wall, a contlnuously open discharge opening through the peripheral wall to permit the discharge of the heavy constiutents of the gas separated therefrom/by centrifugal action, inlet and outlet gas conduits surrounding the shaft and communicating with the casing at saidaxial o enings, the curvatures of the partition an the areas of the inlet and outlet conduits and openings being such as not materially to impede a constant fiow of the gas through the casing determined by the area of the passageway therethrough.' v

3. An apparatusfor purifying gas comprising a rotary casing with a side and per ripheral wall having through said side wall an axial inlet opening for the gas to be purian axial outlet opening for the purified gas and through said peripheral vwall a continuously open discharge, opening to permit the discharge of the impurities, a rotary shaft extending axially through the casing, a gas impelling device fastened to the shaft to Vrotate therewith comprising a partition perpendicularv to said shaft and Joining the shaft in a smooth tangential curve of re atively large radius, and lateral vanes joining the partition and side walls of the casing to form compartments within the casing, inlet and outlet gas conduits surround'- ing said shaft and communicating with the casing at said axial openings, the ,radius of curvature ofthe partition and the size of the lasl inlet and outlet conduits and openings being v I such as not materially to impede a constantl vCit 1,610,668' 'i fg flow of the gas determined by the area ofthe passageway through the casing, whereby the impure gas will swee into the compartments ofthe casing without depositin impurities in the inlet conduit to clog sai A conduit and be `thrown by centrifugal force against the peripheral wall of the casing where the gas and impurities will separate `and the purified gas may be easily passed out of the casing.

4. An apparatus for purifying 'gas comprising a rotary casing with a side-and peripheral wall having through said side wall an axial inlet opening for the gas to be purifiedl and an axial outlet opening for the purified gas and 'through` said peripheral lwall a continuously open discharge opening to permit the discharge of the impurities, a rotaryshaft extending axially through the casin a gas -impelling device fastened to the ls aft to rotateA therewith comprising a partition perpendicular to said shaft and )oining the shaft in. a smooth tangential curve of relatively large radius, and lateral vanes joining the partition and side walls of the casing to form compartments within the casing, anda gasy inlet conduit surrounding said shaftand communicating with the casing at one of. said axial openings, the'radius of curvature of the partition and the size of theinlet and outlet conduits and openings being such as not materially to impede a constant flow of the gas determined by the area of the assa ewa throu h the casino',

P g y e whereby theimpure gas wil sweep through the axial opening into the compartments of the'casing rwithout depositing impurities in the inlet conduit to clog saidconduit and be thrown by centrifugal force against the peripheral wall thereof where the gas :and impurities will separate and thereafter the purified gas pass out of the casing through the axial outlet opening.

5.,An' apparatus for purifying a -uid comprising a casing with side and peripheral walls, a rotary shaft extending axially of the casing, a fluid impelling device mounted to rotate with the shaft comprising a partition perpendicular to the shaft and joining the lshaft at each side in a smooth, tangential curve' and lateral vanes extending from thepartition andforming therewith compartments, an axial inlet opening through' one slde wall and an axial outlet opening .through the other side wall, a continuously open discharge opening through the peripheral wall to permit the discharge of the heavy constituents ofthe fluid se arated therefrom by centrifugal action, in et and outlet fluid' conduits surrounding the Shaft and communicating with the casing lat said axial openings, the curvature of t el` partition and the areas of the inlet and outlet conduits and openingsbeing such as not materially to impede the constant tiiow of the fluid through the casing determined by the area of the passagewa therethrough. 6. An apparatus for purifyi'n .comprising a rotary casing ,with si e and peripheral walls, a rotary shaftV extending axially of the casing, a fluid impelling -delvice mounted to rotate with the shaft and casing comp ising a partition perpendicular to the shaft and joining the shaft at each side inl la' smooth, tangential curve and therewith compartments, an axial inlet opening through one side wall and an axial out- Ilet opening through the other side wall,

a continuously open dischargeJ opening through the peripheral wallto permit the discharge of the heavy constituents of the fluid separated therefrom` by centrifugal action, inlet and-outlet fluid conduits surrounding the shaft and communicating with the casino.- at said\axial openings, the curvature of the partition and the areas of theA inlet and outlet conduits and openings being such as not materiallyto impede a constant flow 'of the fluid through the casing determined by the area of the passageway therethrough. Y'

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix kmy signature. y

JOHN R. FREEMAN.

a Aiiuid 

